Spring Tour Shed: week one; we review the Wallabies-France Test and invite you to have your say

European adventure ... Have your say on the Wallabies' performance against France. Source: Fox Sports

Are you getting yourself into trouble for talking rugby in November? Has the Mrs sent you outside because you're pacing around cursing the Wallabies? If so, then welcome to the Spring Tour Shed.

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We know some of you may have switched your attention from rugby to cricket and why not with Ed Cowan and Michael Clarke combining for a partnership as impressive as Shane Warne and Liz Hurley.

But for those of you still wanting to talk rucks and mauls and to debate the tenuous nature of Robbie Deans’s coaching job, we’ve created the Spring Tour Shed.

As the Wallabies look to end their year on a high, we’ll step into the Shed to pull apart their efforts in Europe before we take a nice long break and look to do it all again in a bumper 2013 for Australian rugby.

The match: There’s no hiding from the fact the Wallabies were completely outplayed in every facet of the match. Robbie Deans’s side were pedestrian in attack and exposed badly around the fringes in defence. The scrum was diabolical while it was obvious which side adapted better to the IRB’s law changes. After putting up a spirited showing against the All Blacks in Bledisloe III, the Wallabies rediscovered their one-dimensional play from early in The Rugby Championship.

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The turning point: While they looked to be little of an attacking threat, the Wallabies remained in touch with their hosts until midway through the second-half. It was at that point that veteran fly half Frederic Michalak – playing his first Test for Les Bleus for some time – put some footwork on opposite number Kurtley Beale to slice through on the counter following a poor kick from the Wallabies No.10. The enigmatic France star then threw a wonderful pass to winger Wesley Fofana, who kicked clear of a couple of Wallabies defenders to cross beside the posts. It was curtains for Australia from that point onwards.

The standout: The world’s best No.8 may have been missing in action in Edinburgh on Sunday night but in Louis Picamoles France have the next best thing to Kieran Read. Picamoles received excellent support from both Fulgence Ouedraogo and Yannick Nyanga but it was the No.8’s powerful surges through the heart of the Wallabies’ defence that caused the most damage. Throw in a five-pointer and a handful of linebreaks and you have one of the finest performances from a backrower this year.

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Wallabies negatives: Where to begin? If the attack and defence were bad, then conceding a penalty try from a scrum was just embarrassing. Australia’s scrum had been repeatedly smashed throughout the match and although they somehow managed a tighthead just before full-time, it was easily one of their worst showings at the set piece in the last five years. Elsewhere, the Wallabies looked to have no plan B to deal with France’s rush defence out wide, forcing them to revert back to the dour midfield bash and barge from the domestic Test season.

Wallabies positives: It’s hard to find any real positives from what was nothing short of a debacle but Stephen Moore’s efforts in the second half deserve a mention. The Wallabies replacement hooker made several strong charges over the gain-line and should regain the starting jersey from Tatafu Polota-Nau for this weekend’s clash with England at Twickenham.

Your say: What changes need to be made ahead of the clash with England? Join the debate in our Spring Tour Shed by leaving a comment below! Feel free to discuss the weekend's other results, too!

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